For a retail showcase titled Animal Kingdom, you might wonder where the immediate association with wildlife might be for Burberry. But as the brand informs us, the English maison has had a history with fauna symbolism – founder Thomas Burberry for one, used the horse as the company’s emblem.
Current creative director Riccardo Tisci is carrying on that flame.
After all, Tisci himself has long employed fauna imagery in his works, such as Disney’s Bambi deer (which re-surfaced on a deer-print men’s shirt with the slogan “WHY DID THEY KILL BAMBI?” in his debut collection for Burberry), and more recently, a custom cow print ensemble for Beyonce in her masterful “Black Is King” visual album.
Back to the Animal Kingdom showcase: it’s a pop-up that’s intended to celebrate Burberry’s signature bags and accessories, and as a bonus, there will be limited-edition versions of these bags that will be exclusive to this showcase.
Here, you’ll also find large-scale sculptures of monkeys, gorillas and birds of paradise, inspired by Thomas Burberry’s and Riccardo’s recognition of the power and symbolism of animals. The Animal Kingdom showcase – one of many worldwide – opens today, Oct 1 till Oct 14 at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, L1, Grand Colonnade South.
The references to animals don’t just stop at the sculptures either – Burberry has partnered with conservation specialist Wildlife Works to make the pop-ups carbon neutral. Wildlife Works executes projects based in the Congo Basin that reduces carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation while protecting and regenerating threatened animal habitats. Now that’s an elegant way to connect back to the topic of animals, if you ask us.
Here, our favourite pieces from the showcase.
